General Growth Properties was a winner within the financial sector, rising 56 cents (2.9%) to $19.70 on average volume.

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

General Growth Properties ( GGP) pushed the Financial sector higher today making it today's featured financial winner. The sector as a whole closed the day up 0.4%. By the end of trading, General Growth Properties rose 56 cents (2.9%) to $19.70 on average volume. Throughout the day, 5.4 million shares of General Growth Properties exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 4.7 million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $19.08-$19.71 after having opened the day at $19.10 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $19.14. Other companies within the Financial sector that increased today were: Altisource Residential Corporation ( RESI), up 33.3%, MGIC Investment Corporation ( MTG), up 27.2%, Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania ( RBPAA), up 12.7%, and Siebert Financial Corporation ( SIEB), up 12.1%.

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General Growth Properties, Inc. operates as a real estate investment trust in the United States. It operates in two segments, Retail and Other, and Master Planned Communities. General Growth Properties has a market cap of $18.14 billion and is part of the real estate industry. Shares are down 2.7% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. Currently there are three analysts that rate General Growth Properties a buy, two analysts rate it a sell, and four rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates General Growth Properties as a hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its solid stock price performance, increase in net income and revenue growth. However, as a counter to these strengths, we find that the company's return on equity has been disappointing.